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Beyond Hammertown: Joan Osofsky designs what comes next
Kerri-Lee Mayland
Apr 29, 2026
Joan Osofsky and Sharon Marston
Provided
Joan Osofsky is closing the doors on Hammertown, one of the region’s most beloved home furnishings and lifestyle destinations, after 40 years, but she is not calling it an ending.
“I put my baby to bed,” she said, describing the decision with clarity and calm. “It felt like the right time.”
At 80, Osofsky is stepping away from the business she built into an institution. Yet her attention is not fixed on what she is leaving behind but on what she calls “Beyond Hammertown,” a phase shaped not by legacy but by intention and possibility.
“Not defined by what I created, but by what I choose next,” she said.
Founded in a barn in Pine Plains in 1985, Hammertown grew into a singular brand with locations in Rhinebeck and Great Barrington, known for its warm, layered aesthetic that blended European and American antiques with rustic textures and modern simplicity. Often credited with helping to define a “modern country” sensibility, the store drew a devoted following from across the region and beyond. But for Osofsky, its success was never a solo effort.
“Hammertown was never just my story,” she said. “It was built alongside my family and colleagues, whose support and talent made everything possible.”
That sense of collaboration traces back to her earlier life as a teacher in New Jersey and Rhode Island. While raising her children in the late 1960s and ’70s, she launched a patchwork quilting business, selling work in shops in New York City and the Berkshires. She went on to work with friends on The Sweet Life Chocolate Engagement Calendar, published in the early 1980s and sold nationally, and led a PTA quilting project that still hangs in her children’s former elementary school.
Those early experiences of building a home, raising a family and creating by hand became the foundation of Hammertown. Even now, that instinct remains unchanged.
“I still love knitting for babies and making scarves for friends,” she said.
As news of the closing spread, Osofsky said she felt both the weight of the decision and the depth of the community it touched.
“I felt its weight and its love when I announced Hammertown was closing,” she said.
Still, her focus returns to what lies ahead. She describes this next phase as open, undefined and deeply personal — a shift away from building a business toward following curiosity wherever it leads. Writing, travel and creative exploration are all part of that vision, along with revisiting ideas once set aside.
Among them is a book she once considered publishing traditionally. Now, she is rethinking that path, reflecting a broader change in how she approaches creativity. No longer tied to a store or a brand but “just for the joy of it,” she said.
That shift also makes room for other parts of her life, including time with her granddaughter, cooking, learning to garden and spending time in France.
“I’ll be at Trade Secrets helping my dear friend Sharon from Marston House,” she said of the annual garden event in May benefiting Project SAGE. “She lives in France most of the year, and I visit her frequently — we shop the markets, share life and walk the French countryside. This has become an important part of my life.”
Other constants remain. Tennis, she said, has long provided not only recreation but connection. She hopes to spend more time on the court, possibly even competitively, while continuing her work with the Northeast Community Center and the Little Guild. These commitments she describes as deeply meaningful and essential to what comes next.
“That has meant a great deal to me beyond Hammertown.”
As she prepares for the transition, Osofsky speaks less about loss than about clarity — a desire for space, a readiness for quiet and the ability to move forward on her own terms. She describes this next phase as rooted in authenticity and an “imperfectly perfect life,” acknowledging that it carries both release and uncertainty.
“I’ll let go, but I’m not sure where I’m being led, and that is OK,” she said.
A year from now, she expects people might see a shift in her — someone lighter, less burdened.
“Still deeply connected to creative beauty,” she said, “just less tied to outcomes and more open to surprise.”
Though many have framed Hammertown’s closing in terms of legacy, Osofsky resists that perspective. For her, the present moment feels far more alive.
“Legacy is something you come to understand later,” she said. “Possibility is something you feel in the present.”
What she hopes people carry forward is not just a memory but a feeling of something less tangible.
“I hope people don’t just remember Hammertown,” she said. “I hope they feel it — that sense of warmth and comfort, like walking into a place that felt like home.”
She sees Beyond Hammertown not as retirement but as the beginning of something new and intentional. There is still more to try, more to learn, more to become. It just might be her most personal design yet.
“And that, more than anything,” she said, “feels right.”
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A celebratory season of American classics and new works at Barrington Stage Company
Richard Feiner And Annette Stover
Apr 29, 2026
Playwright Keelay Gipson’s “Estate Sale” will have its world premier this summer at Barrington Stage Company.
Provided
Amid the many cultural attractions in the region, the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, stands out for its award-winning productions and comprehensive educational and community-based programming. The theater’s 2026 season is one of its most ambitious; it includes two Pulitzer Prize-winning modern classics, one of the greatest theatrical farces ever written, and new works that speak directly to who we are right now as a society.
“Our 2026 season is a celebration of extraordinary storytelling in all its forms — timeless, uproarious and boldly new,” said Artistic Director Alan Paul. “This season features works that have shaped the American theater, as well as world premieres that reflect the company’s deep commitment to developing new voices and new stories. Together, these productions embody what BSC does best: entertain, challenge and connect our audiences through theater that feels both essential and alive.”
The company has several theaters within a few blocks of each other. In the Boyd-Quinson Theater, BSC’s main stage, the season features “A Chorus Line” (July 15-Aug. 8), a new 50th anniversary production of the Broadway musical that won nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. This will be followed by Michael Frayn’s beloved door-slamming comedy “Noises Off,” in a first-time BSC production directed by Gordon Greenberg.
At BSC’s Blatt Center for the Performing Arts, the St. Germain Stage season will open with “Driving Miss Daisy” (May 27-June 21), a collaboration with Palm Beach Dramaworks directed by BSC founding artistic director Julianne Boyd and starring Ray Anthony Thomas and Debra Jo Rupp. This is followed by the world premiere of “Estate Sale” (June 30-July 25) by Keelay Gipson, an Afro-surrealist artist, professor and award-winning playwright and BSC Sparks grant recipient.
The season includes other provocative and timely new works. “The Zionists: A Family Storm” (June 16-July 3), produced in association with Miami New Drama, focuses on a family gathering on a Caribbean island where old grievances give way to new political fears. “Dead Girl’s Quinceañera” (Aug. 5-29), a collective world premiere by BSC, Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and Hartford Stage, is a dark comedy about true-crime obsession, teenage bravado and what happens when girls decide to stop waiting for answers. Another world premiere, “The Urmetazoan” (Sept. 30-Oct. 25), by playwright Alex Rugman and directed by Jack Serio, tells the story of two sisters facing an imminent goodbye as one prepares to leave Earth for deep space.
“BSC is deeply committed to our home in the Berkshires, producing as many or more shows this summer than ever before, for a devoted and engaged audience,” said Managing Director Greg Reiner. “And we are continuing our deep work within this community, showing up where it matters to bring new audiences theater that matters.”
Since moving to Pittsfield in 2006, Barrington Stage has prioritized its connection to residents and families through extensive and inclusive education and community engagement programs that help make its productions accessible to all. The company strives to make BSC an artistic home for an inclusive community of talented actors, writers, designers, directors and musical directors, as well as a home for its staff, students, interns and educators.
BSC has gained attention beyond the Berkshires, with productions that have moved on to Broadway and to major regional theaters around the country. The company believes that its work to support playwrights, and their visions of the world we live in, is central to its success in creating meaningful theater that resonates with all audiences.
“BSC’s season is a thrilling reflection of who we are right now as a society, wrestling with division and longing for connection,” Paul said. “It’s an exciting season because it’s alive and designed to bring us together in the dark to experience something unforgettable.”
For tickets and more information on the 2026 season, including additional productions, concerts, cabarets and the company’s annual gala, visit barringtonstageco.org.
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Hotchkiss Film Festival celebrates 15th year of emerging filmmakers
Brian Gersten
Apr 29, 2026
Student festival directors Trey Ramirez (at the mic) and Leon Li introducing the Hotchkiss Film Festival.
Brian Gersten
The 15th annual Hotchkiss Film Festival took place Saturday, April 25, marking a milestone year for a student-driven event that continues to grow in ambition, reach and artistic scope. The festival was founded in 2012 by Hotchkiss alumnus and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Brian Ryu. Ryu served as a festival juror for this year’s installment, which showcased a selection of emerging filmmakers from around the region. The audience was treated to 17 films spanning drama, horror, comedy, documentary and experimental forms — each reflecting a distinct voice and perspective.
This year’s program was curated by student festival directors Trey Ramirez and Leon Li, working alongside faculty adviser Ann Villano. With more than 52 submissions received, the selection process was both rigorous and rewarding. The final lineup included six films from Hotchkiss students.
For Ramirez, the festival represents both a personal and creative evolution. His interest in filmmaking began with producing sports media during his freshman year, creating highlight reels for the Hotchkiss boys varsity basketball team during its 2026 NEPSAC championship season. That early work led him into photography and eventually into narrative and experimental filmmaking. Among the films screened was Ramirez’s own experimental piece, “Paradise Waits,” an abstract, montage-driven work emphasizing editing and visual rhythm.
“What I enjoy most about organizing the festival is the opportunity to curate a program that reflects a wide range of voices and styles,” Ramirez said, “while also creating a space where student filmmakers can share their work with a larger audience.”
For many filmmakers, this was the first time seeing their work projected on a large screen before a live audience, an experience Ramirez described as especially meaningful given the time and dedication behind each project.
Now in its 15th year, the Hotchkiss Film Festival continues to build on its legacy as a platform for young filmmakers. The festival not only celebrates student achievement but also signals a promising future for the next generation of storytellers.
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Ticking Tent spring market returns
Jennifer Almquist
Apr 29, 2026
The Ticking Tent Spring Market returns to Spring Hill Vineyards in New Preston on May 2.
Jennifer Almquist
The Ticking Tent Spring Market returns to New Preston Saturday, May 2, bringing more than 60 antiques dealers, artisans and design brands to Spring Hill Vineyards for a one-day, brocante-style shopping event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Co-founders Christina Juarez and Benjamin Reynaert invite visitors to the outdoor market at 292 Bee Brook Road, where curated vendors will offer home goods, fashion, tabletop and collectible design. Guests can browse while enjoying Spring Hill Vineyards’ wines and seasonal fare.
Juarez is president of Christina Juarez & Co., a communications and business development consultancy. Reynaert is market director at ELLE DECOR, an interiors stylist and author of “The Layered Home,” which he will sign at the event.
Benjamin Reynaert and Christina Juarez, co-founders of The Ticking Tent. Their one-day Spring Market returns to New Preston on May 2 at Spring Hill Vineyards on Bee Brook Road.Jennifer Almquist
“The Ticking Tent is about reimagining the joy of discovery — bringing together antiques dealers, artisans and design enthusiasts in a setting where community and creativity thrive,” Reynaert said.
Among returning vendors is Rhonda Eleish of Eleish Van Breems Home, with shops in New Preston, Roxbury, Westport and Nantucket. “The Ticking Tent is a fun event where you can shop curated goods, meet friends and enjoy the setting,” she said.
The market partners with ELLE DECOR as national media sponsor, along with Home & Garden CT & NY, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens, New England Home CT and Litchfield Magazine.
For information and tickets, visit thetickingtent.com or follow @thetickingtent.
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WAM Theatre’s artistic director Genée Coreno
Richard Feiner And Annette Stover
Apr 29, 2026
WAM Theatre’s artistic director Genée Coreno.
David Dashiell
WAM Theatre will mark its 17th anniversary season with a lineup of mainstage productions and community programming focused on amplifying women’s voices, empowering young people and exploring the intersection of arts and activism.
The award-winning, women-owned company’s season will feature intimate storytelling, sharp comedy and historical works, alongside educational and community-based initiatives designed to engage audiences and support regional partnerships.
Artistic Director Genée Coreno said: “This season, WAM steps into a bold inquiry about influence, power, and the responsibility that comes with both, especially in moments when communities are searching for meaning. Now more than ever, we are reminded that theatre is a space to gather, to question, and to practice the kind of world we wish to inhabit.”
WAM stands for “Where Arts and Activism Meet,” and the theatre was co-founded in 2010 by Kristen van Ginhoven, now the executive director of Project SAGE in Salisbury, and Leigh Strimbeck in response to the book “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Inspired by the call to “join an incipient movement to emancipate women and fight global poverty by unlocking women’s power as economic catalysts,” WAM’s vision is to create opportunities for women and girls through a mission of theatre as philanthropy.
This season, all WAM activities and events are united in their investigation of timely questions such as: What do we inherit? What do we believe? And what future are we brave enough to build? The season includes a full production of “Rooted,” by award-winning playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer (May 1-16); two readings in the WAM Fresh Takes series — “Amani,” by critically acclaimed playwright a.k. payne (June 14), and “Gorgeous,” by playwright Keiko Green (Aug. 16); WAM’s Summer Soirée benefit (July 26); and the fall mainstage production of “Camp Siegfried,” by Tony Award nominee Bess Wohl (Oct. 15-Nov. 1).
In addition, WAM’s 2026 season deepens its investment in the community with projects and programs in partnership with like-minded organizations, including the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and MOSAIC, the Elizabeth Freeman Center, the Lenox Library and Berkshire Community College. These activities spotlight changemakers working throughout the region to provide vital services and to engage the arts for democratic learning and expression, intergenerational dialogue and collective belonging.
To date, WAM has provided paid work to more than 500 theatre artists, the majority of whom are female-identifying. In fulfillment of its philanthropic mission, WAM donates a portion of proceeds from its mainstage productions to selected recipients. Since its founding in 2010, the theatre has donated more than $105,000 to 26 local and global organizations supporting gender equity in areas such as girls’ education, reproductive justice, human trafficking awareness and midwife training.
Managing Director Molly Merrihew said: “Artists and educators are the changemakers who nurture communities into vibrant, sustainable ecosystems fueled by collective, creative, and collaborative action. We hope you will join us.”
WAM Theatre has been widely recognized for its positive impact on cultural and community development in the region. This season is expected to deepen that impact.
Passes and single tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit wamtheatre.com.
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Housy hosts season-opening track meet
Riley Klein
Apr 29, 2026
Ryan Segalla wins the 400-meter race in 50.5 seconds.
Riley Klein
FALLS VILLAGE – Berkshire League track and field began the regular season Tuesday, April 21, with a meet at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
HVRHS hosted athletes from Nonnewaug High School and Gilbert School for an afternoon of competition. In total, 18 events were held for both boys and girls.
Gusting winds and overcast skies made for chilly conditions, about 49 degrees, but that did not deter contenders.
Nonnewaug’s large team performed well and accumulated the most team points of the day.
HVRHS athletes succeeded individually in several events.
Ava Segalla won the 100-meter race in 13.2 seconds. Freshman Lainey Diorio finished right behind her with a personal-best time of 13.3 seconds.
Ava Segalla also won the girls high jump by clearing a height of 4-feet 10-inches.
Peter Austin tied for first in the boys high jump. He cleared 5-feet 0-inches, along with Nonnewaug’s Shemaiah Savage.
Ryan Segalla won the 200-meter race in 22.4 seconds, a new personal best for him. He was more than a second ahead of Nonnewaug’s Edward Longo with a time of 23.9 seconds.
Ryan Segalla dominated the 400-meter race in 50.5 seconds, nearly five seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, Nonnewaug’s Chance Salisbury, who ran 55.1 seconds.
HVRHS’s 4x100-meter girls relay team of Ava Segalla, Lainey Diorio, McKenzie Lotz and Olivia Brooks won the event in 54.3 seconds. Nonnewaug’s team ran 56.3 seconds and Gilbert finished in 59.7 seconds.
Finian Malone won the 3200-meter run in 11:24.3 minutes. He was more than a minute ahead of second place, which went to Nonnewaug’s Corbin Fretz in 12:30 minutes.
Full results available at athletic.net.
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